From Health magazine
You buy wheat bread, watch the sweets, and have sworn off supersizing. But you still might be falling prey to some common diet myths. Read on to find out about the worst ones, and what you can do to outwit them.
1. Myth: Cutting carbohydrates helps you lose weight.
Truth: Doing it the wrong way can also make you feel rotten and unhealthy.
Carbs are to this decade what fats were to the last: food demons. Truth is, though, you need them for energy. And, like with fats, some are better than others. Lona Sandon, RD, assistant professor in clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, suggests a minimum of 130 grams of carbs a day—a far cry from low-carb diets that start with 20 grams or less.
“Levels that low can leave you fatigued, constipated, and irritable,” she says. And those are just the short-term side effects. Eric Rimm, associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, believes that long-term, an Atkins-style diet could increase risk of heart disease and colon cancer, perhaps due to the resulting increase in saturated fats.
Fad diets aside, what may matter most is how refined the carbohydrates are. Refining removes grains’ fibrous coating, which leads to digesting food faster than you should. That’s why whole fruits, with their fiber and nutrients, are good choices despite their simple carbohydrates. The best idea is to cut back on refined carbs such as soda and foods made with white flour, while loading up on healthier carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
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